Proverbs are short expressions of popular wisdom. Tibetan proverbs, steeped with history, are called "Dambe" in Tibetan. The book "Sumpa Proverbs", written in the Ninth century, has recorded wonderful proverbs that are popular withTibetans.

In the 11th Century, Powowa (senior monk of the Gadam sect of Tibetan Buddhism) was fond of citing proverbs while he delivered sermons, and later his disciples edited all of his sayings into a book entitled "Precious Collections of Proverbs in Sermons".

In addition, many proverbs are usually cited in Tibetan folk literature, including legends, stories, and fables. Tibetan proverbs feature in a splendid ethnic culture as embodied in full on the plateau.

The common words and phrases of Tibetan proverbs are mostly connected with natural scenery and culture, like snow mountains, lakes, valleys, gorges, grassland, lama, Buddha, sutras, conches, white cranes, yaks, horses, roasted barley, milk, Pulu fabric, white silk scarf, and so on, and all of which are all elements of life on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

All Tibetan proverbs show Tibetan wisdom, and can refresh and renew the Tibetan people's minds just like the beautiful blossoms on the grassland, such as "Benevolent heart is just like milk, and good words are as a key", "People should not be involved into conflicts - just like a tree should not have knots", "A precious horse is not valued in regard to its saddle, and people's value is not shown through their treasures", "Horses stepping on soft land will slip and fall, and people listening to sugary words will be deceived", and "the cuckoo loves dawn, but the owl is fond of dusk."

It is not a surprise that Tibetans say: "Words for Dambe are as difficult as a utensil without a holder", "Language, like Dambe and girls, need to be decorated", "Tasty wine must be nectar, and euphonious language is Dambe".

(Sources from China's Tibet)